Spring-gun.



J. H. MACLEAN- SPRING cum APPLICATION FILED AUG.26. 19I6.

Patented Aug. 21, 1917.

WITNESSES %l&

A TTOIW E V8 enemas.

1 JOHN HUBAND MACLEAN, OF ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN.

SPRING-GUN.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented A11 21, 1917.

A licationfiianugtstae, 916. Seria1No.1l6,984.

(J! zvhomjt may fwmm:

Be it knownthat I, Jol -1N I'I. MAOLEAN,

I a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Ann Arbor, in the county of Washtenaw and ofMichigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Spring-Guns, or which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in spring guns, and the invention has for its object to provide a gun or the character specified, wherein spring controlled mechanism is provided for compressing a column of air to cause ejection of a projectile, and

Fig. 1, and

wherein means 1s provided in connection with the gun ior preventing thedischarge of the projectile from the barrel, thus providing for a report without the discharge of a projectile, and wherein the retaining means for the projectile is releasable to permit the discharge when desired.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section with the gun in inoperative position;

Fig. 2 is a similarview, with the parts in operative position, and ready for discharge;

Fig. 3 is apartial, top plan view of the muzzle of the gun;

Fig. 1 is a section on the line l4 of Fig. .5 is a perspective viewotthe improved gun.

In the present embodiment of the invention, a barrel 1 is provided, which has one end closed, as indicated at 2, and is secured to a stock 3 of ordinary construction, the barrel being of metal and the stock of wood or the like. A cylindrical casing 1 is mounted to slide longitudinally of the barrel, the said casing having an external annular rib 5 intermediate its ends, and having its inner end closed and extended beyond the barrel to form a second rib 6, while the outerend is flared as shown n7, to fitv the barrel. Thus the casing may slide freely on the barrel, while it is guided by the ribs 5 and 6 and the flaring portion 7 j A plungerS is arranged within the barrel, and a stem or link '9 is connected with the plunger and extends. through the closed 1ngs'at the muzzle of the gun, the said pin ,having a ward the closed end of the barrel. A grip or handle 11 is mounted to slide on the under side of the barrel, toward and away from the muzzle, and a ring 12 is connected with this grip, the said ring encircling the casingbetween the ribs 5 and 6. The ring is a split ring having radial lugs 13 at its ends, which are received in a recess in the grip 13, and rivets, as shown in Fig.' 4c, are passed through the grip and the lugs to connect the ring and the grip. The lugs pass through a slot let which extends longitudinally ot' the barrel, and by means of the grip the casing may be moved toward the muzzle of the barrel to compress the spring, as shown in Fig. 2.

Then the spring has been compressed by moving the casing toward the muzzle, as shown in Fig. 2, the parts may be locked in this position, by the engagement of a notch 15 on the stem with the closed end of the casing, merely by lowering the inner end of the link. This notch 15 has a catch which engages the outer face of the head at the opening for the stem to lock the parts in set position. The inner end of the link or stem has a pin and slotconnection with a trigger bar16 which is arranged in a vertical opening 17 in the stock, and the lower end of the said trigger bar is adapted for engagement with one of the arms of an angular trigger 18 pivoted within the enlarged lower end of the opening 17. One of the'portions of the trigger 18 extends below the stock, in position for engagement by the finger of the operator, to move the trigger bar upwardly and cause the same to lift the link and release the notch 15 from the casing. When this occurs, the casing willbe forced back into the barrel by the spring 10, in theposition of Fig. 1, and

'with a projectile in the outer end of the be evident that a body of air will be compressed between the plunger and the projectil'e" suflicient to cause the discharge of the projectile from the casing with a loud report.

Means is provided for preventing the discharge of the projectile from the barrel, the said means consisting of a retaining pin 19 which ispassed through registering openhead for limiting its downward movement through the openings to a position transverse to the barrel, and a retaining plate 20 is provided for preventing accidental disengagement of the pin. The said plate is pivoted to the barrel at the muzzle, as indicated at 21, and near its other end the said plate is concaved as shown at 22, to engage over the head ot-the pin. It Willbe noticed from aninspection of Figs. 1 and 2, thattheprojectile 23 is trusto-conical,

but is arranged with its. base towardthe retaining pin and that the inner end of the said pro ectile is further beveled or nclined to facilitate the engagement of, the said inner end, of the projectile with the flaring portions of the casing.

lii operatio i, with the partsin. the position of Fig. 1, the operator will move the grip towaiid the muzzle .until the notch 15 of the link engages the end 6 of the casing and locks the parts in suclnpcs ition. The grip may now be moved backwardly toward the stock if desired, or. it may remain in the position shown in F 1g. 2. As the vcasing moved forwardly the grip,v the flar ng end of the casing ,Wlllengage the small end of the projectile, and; the projectilewill be forced into the casing byithe forward movement of the casing as long as the retaining pin 19 holds theprojectile trom moving outwardly.

When the operator desires to shoot, he will pull the trigger 18. The trigger will lift the trigger bar 16 and the inner, end of the stem 9, thus releasingthe link from the casing, and the expansion of the spring will a force the casing inwardly. The air between theprojectile, and the plunger 8 will be compressed to'suclna degree that before the casing reaehes theend ofits inwardinoveinent, the projectile will be discharged therefrom with a loud report.

Vlfhen it is desiredto use the gun for target practice, for instance, the retain ng pin may be removed, and it will be evident that when the muzzlefof the barrel open a plunger 50:

through; the inner end of the casingan d of in, the casing and. having, a stem vextending approximately the same length as the easing, a spring between the plunger and the nner end ot, the leasing, the stemhavmg a catch for engaging the casing to hold] the spr ng compressed,means, at the inner end of the stem; for moving the, same to' release thelc'atch and for holding the plunger from movement by the spring, means outs de of thebarrel foifmoving the CitSlIlg tQWttl'd the muzzle to compress the spring, the outer end of, the casing being fiaring to engage atapermg pro ectile when the casing is washingtongi l). C.

, a casing mounted to slide longitudinally of the barrel and having the end adjacent to the muzzle of the barrel open, aplunger 111 the casing. and having, a stem extending through the inner end ofthe casing and of approximately the same length as the casng, a spring between the plunger and the inner end of the, casing, the stem having a catch ior engaging the casing tOllOlthtllB spring compressed, means atthe inner end at the stem for moving the same to release v the catchand; for holding, the plunger from movement y the spring, and means outside of the bar 'el for moving the casing j toward the muzzle tocoinpress the spring.

I n a spring gun, a barrel, a casing v mounted toslide' in the barrel, a spring norjma lly forcing the casing inward, a plunger in the casing fixed with respect to the barrel, means for holding the casing in outward position with the spring vcompressed, said means being releasable,. means outside the. barrel for moving the casing against the resistance of the spring, the outer end of the casing being adapted to receive a projectile for closing the said casing, and foljm ng with the plunger a closed air chamber in the casing, the outer end of the cas- .111 b8111 flarin to en a e a ta ierin )roz: b a: a a b ectile and releasable means at the-muzzle J i. p

of the barrel for holding'the projectile.

4. In a spring gun, a barrel, a casing mounted to slide therein,a spring normally pressing, the casing inward, a trigger mechanismfor holding the gun in outward position with the spring compressech'the' outer end of the casing being adapted to receive a'projectile for closing the .said casing and forming with the plunger a closed airchamber in the casing, releasable means at the nuzzleof the barrel for holding the pro jectile to permit it to be forced into the barrel by the movementof the barrel tor-' vardly, and means for moving the barrel;

5. Ina gun, the combination with a barrel, of a cylinder movable within said barrel', an abutment, a stopper for fittingsaid cylinder having a free movement within the barrel. limited-[by said abutment, means for reciprocating said cylinder to pressthe same into engagement I with said stopper ,while seated on' said abutment and to carry the same rearward, and a piston cooperating 'w ith said cylinder to compress the air and eject the stoppenv JOHN HUBAND- Miler-J AN.

fiopl s of this patent, may be'opt a i ned f orifive cents each, by'agidressing thefiqommi ssioner of; Patents. 

